Machine for treating work or articles electrolytically



May 27, 1941. J. v. DAVIS 7 2,243,728

MACHINE FOR TREATING WORK OR ARTICLES ELECTROLYTICALLY Filed Nov. 20, 19:57

g/Ofl/V VIRDEN DAV/6 ATTORNEYS.

' of the square hole.

should preferably be deeper than those on the outside because then the cylinder can be worn down to a minimum thickness with a minimum loss of strength, A two to one ratio of the depth of the grooves ii to the depth of the grooves II has been used successfully.

The grooves I! which extend crosswise of the panel are shorter than the grooves H and extend 'grooves II can be the same or different than the spacing between the grooves l2.

In Fig. the longitudinal grooves sandcrosswise grooves l2a have a different cross section than in the principal form of the invention. The side walls of grooves Ila and 12a taper or converge inwardly of the panel I.

In Fig. 6 still a different form of cross section for the lengthwise grooves 1 lb and transverse grooves I21: are shown. In this form the side walls I! of the grooves are curved so that the grooves flare outwardly from within the panel along a curved line.

A plating machine in which the walls of the work container were fabricated as above described has -iiie'en found considerably more eflicientin operation than 'a similar plating machine having the panels formed with circular perforations. This method of perforating gives a greatly increased amount of current at a given voltage. For example, a cylindrical work container with circular perforations having a diameter of of an inch drilled on centers V2 inch apart drew 405 amperes and a cylindrical work container with 1'; of an inch square perforations formed as above described and on centers inch apart drew 600 amperes. In each case the voltage between the anode and cathode was 8 volts; at 9 volts theamperages were 450 and 675 respectively. In these tests the copper leads of the barrel became very hot limiting the amount of current drawn. Other tests were made to show the difference between these two types of panels, that is, the panel with the circular drilled perforations and the panel with the square section perforations formed by intersecting grooves milled from opposite sides of the panel as above described. In these tests the panel with-the circular perforations was first used as a side wall in a work container hanging in a plating tank with the anodes on the outside and a cathode inside the container. This panel was then removed and the other type of panel with the square holes cross milled. i'rom opposite sides of the panel was inserted as one of the side walls of this same work container with the same anodes on the'outside and the same cathode on the inside of the container. The panel with the circular drilled holes drew from 12 to 13 amperes of current whereas the panel with the square holes cross milled as above described drew -24 to 25 amperes of current at the same voltage. The change from circular to square cross section of the perforation is responsible for 28% increase in area- (that is, current) where the circular hole had the same diameter as the width and breadth However, the increase in current drawn by the panel with the square holes cross milled as above described was considerably more. than 28%; The remainder of this increase may be accounted for by the greater spreadingof the current through the cross grooves in both directions. This eflect issimilar to that obtained by the use of much thinner panels but without the loss of strength and wearing life which would follow the use of such thin panels.

It is evident from the above description that each perforation through the panel 3 actually consists of a longitudinal groove -H and a transverse groove It and that this perforation has its smal1estcross-sectional area in the plane in which the groove H and the groove l2 intersect. This smallest cross-sectional area is designated ll. Thus, for example, as the current travels from the anode I through any one opening, after the current passes through the smallest crosssection area ll of the opening it is free to spread out along the entire transverse groove II. This, it is believed, accounts for the remarkable increase in the amount of current passing through the work container wall 3 in comparison with the above described conventional work cylinder with the circular drilled holes. 7

Although the container 2,'i'or descriptive purposes and not by way of limitation, is herein specifically shown and described as a container for the work or articles being electroplated, which articles are the cathodes in the electrolytic circuit, it is specifically understood and pointed out 1 that this-type of container 2 can also indeed for holding the anodes in the electroplating circult and in general as a container for holding electrically charged metals whether they be cathodic or anodic. The container can beused for" holding the work 'or articles being anodically pickled or otherwise anodically treated in which former type of perforation is much larger than that of the latter perforation which causes less resistance and heat evolution and also permits greater now of cooler solution to the inside of the work container. Further. where the perforations are formedby intersecting groovesin the opposite'faces of the work container panels. the outside area of the panels is greater which offers a larger cooling surface to the cooler solution on the' outside. This feature of the instant 1 work container is advantageous when the mate-'- rial used for the panels, such as rubber, softens at high temperature which causes the rubber to become less resistant to abrasion and tend to warp particularly under heavy load.

I 'claim: a

1. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising an anode, a* cathode, a container for the electrolyte and a container for the work or articles to be treated byelectrolysis adapted to hold the work in the electrolyte during such treatment, said work container being placed between the anode and cathode and having a wall com posed of insulation material with a plurality of spaced grooves formed in its inner face and a.

plurality of spaced grooves formed in its outer face,' the grooves in the one face extending angularly in respect to and across the grooves in the other face, the grooves in the one face intersecting the grooves in the other face within the wall to form a plurality of spaced perforations adapted for the passage 'of current during the electrolytic treatment, each perforation consisting of grooves extending inwardly of the opposite faces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area of at least one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

2'. A machine for treatingi work electrolytically comprising an anole, a cathode,-a container for the electrolyte and a container for the work or articles to be treated by electrolysis adapted to hold the work in the electrolyte during such treatment, said work/container being placed between the anode and-"cathode and having a wall composed of insulation material with a plurality of spaced grooves of greater depth formed in its inner face" and a plurality of spaced grooves of lesser depth formed in its outer face, the grooves in the outer face extending generally lengthwise of the said wall and the grooves in the inner face extending generally crosswise of the said wall, the grooves in the one face intersecting the grooves in the other face within the wall to form a plurality of spaced perforations adapted for the passage of current during the electrolytic treatment, each perforation consisting of grooves extending inwardly of the opposite faces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area, of at least one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

3. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising an anode, a cathode, a container for the electrolyte and a container for the work or articles to be treated by electrolysis adapted to hold the work in the electrolyte during such treatment, said work container being placed between the anode and cathode and having a wall composed of insulation material with a plurality of spaced parallel rectilinear grooves formed in its inner face and a plurality of spaced parallel rectilinear grooves formed. in its outer face, the grooves in the one face extending generally lengthwise of thesaid wall and the grooves in the other face extending generally crosswise of the said wall, the grooves in the one face intersecting the grooves in the other face within the wall to form a plurality of spaced perforations adapted for the passage of current during the electrolytic tending inwardly of the oppositefaces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area of at least'one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

5. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising a container for the electrolyte and anodically and cathodically electrically charged electrodes in circuit in the electrolyte, a container for the work or articles to be treated by electrolysis adapted to hold the work in the electrolyte during such treatment, said work container having a wall composed of insulation material for separating the anodically and the oathodically charged electrodes in the electrolyte dur- Y ing such treatment, said wall having a plurality of spaced parallel grooves formed in its inner face and a plurality of spaced grooves in its outer face, the grooves in the one face extending generally lengthwise of the wall and the grooves in the other face extending generally crosswise of the wall, the grooves in the one face intersecting the grooves in the other face within the wall to form a plurality of spaced perforations adapted for the passage of current duringvthe electrolytic treatment, each perforation consisting of grooves extending inwardly of the opposite faces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area of at least one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

6. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising a container for the electrolyte and anodically and cathodically electrically charged electrodes in circuit in the electrolyte, a container for the work or articles to be treated by electrolysis adapted to hold the work in the electrolyte during such treatment, said work container having a wall composed of insulation material for separating the anodically and the cathodically charged electrodes in the electrolyte during such treatment, said wall having a. plurality of spaced parallel grooves in its outer face and a plurality of spaced parallel grooves formed in its inner face, the grooves in the inner face having a greater depth than those in the outer ,face and extending angularly in respect to and across the grooves in the inner face and meeting the same between the inner and outer faces of said wall to form a plurality of spaced holes adaptedfor the-passage of current during the electrolytic treatment, each perforation consisting of grooves 4. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising-an anode, a cathode, a container for the electroylte and a container for the work or articles to be treated by electrolysis adapted to hold the work in the electrolyte during such treatment, said work container being'placecl between the anode and cathode and having a wall composed of insulation material with a plurality of spaced parallel grooves formed in its inner face and a plurality of spaced parallel grooves formed in its outer face, the grooves in the one face extending generally lengthwise of the said wall and the grooves in the other face extending generally crosswise of the said wall and at right angles to the grooves in the first mentioned face, the grooves in the one face intersecting the grooves in the other face within the wall to form a plurality of spaced perforations adapted for the I treatmentfeach hole consisting of grooves extending inwardly of the opposite faces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area of at least one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

'7. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising a container for the electrolyte and anodically and cathodically charged electrodes in circuit in the electrolyte, and a movable container for the work to be treated adapted to receive electrodes having a like charge to separate the anodically and cathodically charged electrodes in the electrolyte during such treatment, said movable container moving the electrodes contained therein in the electrolyte during such treatment, said container having a wall composed of insulation material with a plurality of spaced parallel grooves formed in its inner face, and a plurality of spaced parallel grooves in its outer face, the grooves in the one face extending generally lengthwise of the wall and the grooves in the other face extending. generally crosswise of the wall, the grooves in the one face intersecting the grooves in the other face within the wall to form a plurality of spaced perforations adapted for the passage of current during the electrolytic treatmcnt, each perforation consisting of grooves extending inwardly of the opposite faces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area of at least one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

8. A machine for treating work electrolytically comprising a container for the electrolyte and anodically and cathodically charged electrodes in circuit in the electrolyte, and a movable container for the work to be treated adapted to receive electrodes having a like charge to separate the anodically and 'cathodically charged electrodes in the electrolyte during such treatment; said movable container moving the electrodes contained therein in the electrolyte during such 15 treatment, said container having a wall composed of insulation material with a plurality of spaced parallel grooves in its outer face and a plurality of spaced parallel grooves formed in its inner face, the grooves in the inner face having a greater depth than those in the outer face and extending angularly in respect to and across the grooves in the inner face and meeting the same between the inner and outer faces of said wall to form a plurality of spaced holes adapted for the passage of current during the electrolytic treatment, each hole consisting of grooves extending inwardly of the opposite faces of said wall and intersecting within the wall throughout an area smaller than the area of at least one of said grooves at the surface of said wall.

JOHN VIRDEN DAVIS. 

